David Chase and ‘The Sopranos’ stars post tributes for Tony Sirico
Tony Sirico, the brilliant actor who was known for playing Paulie “Walnuts” Gualtieri in The Sopranos, recently passed away at the age of 79. This news has brought forth several heartfelt tributes from fans who were deeply touched by his work as well as his colleagues who took to social media to post about their experiences with him.
The Sopranos creator David Chase said in a statement: “Tony was a jewel. The way Buddhists refer to a jewel—supernatural and a master. But certainly not a Zen master. He was so uproarious, so funny, so talented. I’m very happy for him that in his mid-50s and 60s he finally learned how talented and loved he was.”
Praising Sirico’s contribution to the extensive legacy of The Sopranos and talking about his own memories of the actor, Chase added: “I was just thinking about him yesterday, strangely enough, and was reminded that he was a main reason for the success of The Sopranos. I will miss him greatly, Gennaro. As will the world.”
Lorraine Braco had this to say on Twitter: “A stand up guy who always had my back and who loved my children and my parents. I have a lifetime of memories with Tony–starting with Goodfellas to The Sopranos and way beyond but my God, did we have fun doing the Bensonhurst Spelling Bee. I hope he’s in heaven cracking everybody up now. Love you, my pal.”
Michael Imperioli, who had a significant on-screen partnership with Sirico on The Sopranos, helped spread the word about the actor’s passing and delivered a statement as well: “I am proud to say I did a lot of my best and most fun work with my dear pal Tony. I will miss him forever. He is truly irreplaceable.”
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